Why I believe the Canik TP9 Series should be the end of "first pistol" discussion threads...

The most important aspects I stress when folks ask me about choosing a firearm are the following.....

-What’s it for? SD vs strictly plinking. (Yes you can plink with an SD firearm too)
-Will you actually be shooting it? If you are looking to buy something to throw in a drawer that is treated like fire extinguisher you never think about.....than don’t buy a firearm.
-You need to budget for some kind of safe storage. Quick access for SD any old lockable container for plinking. (It’s not about thieves it’s about, kids or other untrained and or irresponsible folks we all have in our houses at some point or another.

Beyond those things I let them hone in on a platform they like and go from their. I generally do not like suggesting Glocks or most striker fired guns for new shooters/folks who will be very casual shooters as I think the triggers are too light and they typically require a trigger pull for disassembly. Since 99% of firearm use is administrative in nature I don’t like automatically suggesting a Glock 19 which is damn near perfect IF the person will be training, learning, shooting and embracing it. If not I much prefer a revolver or a DA/SA type system.

There are eleventy billion good firearm options out there. The tool isn’t the first place to start IMO.
 
I don't have a problem with Canik for a first gun. However, I'd hope that someone getting into guns for the first time should usually have a friend, family member, and/or a trainer to help them with the process. It would be wise for them to try a few different things under instruction before they buy anything.

That said, I do recommend that a first gun be relatively easy for the new shooter to operate and fun for that person to use. That's usually going to mean full-sized but could include compacts depending on the person. That usually means it will be okay for home defense. It would be nice if they could also use the gun for CC but how much this matters can depend on personal, financial, or any legal restrictions where they live.

Choice of action is subjective. Revolvers are still relevant and do have a lot to offer. There is overlap between revolver and DA/SA skills. I think some people, such as Chris from Lucky Gunner, have rightly pointed out that there are possible training advantages to working with double action. I like the feedback of an exposed hammer in both revolvers and DA/SA guns. I think it contributes to mechanical understanding and that is good to develop. These things aren't necessary but I don't think they should be discounted, much less purposefully avoided. Again, it comes down to the particular individual and what will benefit them.

I would recommend 9mm for a first semi-auto and .38 special for a first revolver. Both are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and have reasonable recoil in guns matching the criteria so far. Either caliber is also fun for plinking or aerating the contents of a recycling bin. (The visual feedback and reward of seeing a water bottle pop shouldn't be discounted!) Both calibers can be used defensively, though 9mm has the edge in this category.
 
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